Antioxidant and photosynthetic metabolism of sugarcane in response to foliar application of magnesium and micronutrients

Abstract

Sugarcane cultivation is of great economic and territorial importance in Brazil, with the country being the world's largest producer, mainly of sugar and ethanol. However, climate change is negatively affecting its production, with increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as high temperatures and droughts. Abiotic stresses promote the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to the oxidation of lipids in the cell membrane, resulting in a loss of homeostasis in the plant cell. Foliar application of products containing magnesium, iron, boron, zinc and molybdenum is a promising strategy for mitigating abiotic stresses and improving the yield and quality of sugarcane. Magnesium plays multiple roles in plants, including the activation of enzymes and is also the central molecule of chlorophyll. Iron is crucial for the formation of chlorophyll and the functioning of antioxidant enzymes. Boron influences the transport of sugars and the integrity of cell walls.Zinc is a strong agent in antioxidant metabolism, while molybdenum improves nitrogen metabolism and nitrate reductase activity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the photosynthetic and antioxidant metabolism, as well as the growth and productivity of sugarcane plants in response to the foliar application of these nutrients at different phenological stages of the plant. The results of this research could provide new tools for recommending foliar application in sugarcane under field conditions, which could increase growth and productivity.